Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-06-18

For one moment saw the chair standing
empty; the next figure occupied 1.-THE
figure OF q young girl. Her hair, which
seemed to be golden, fell over her shout
ders. Her back was toward me, but saw
that her figure was slight and pretty. Two
white hands were clasped together, and she
was rocking to and fro, and moaning in a
strange, desolate sort Of way.
@This is odd" said I. Some one has
come into the room by mistake, doubtless,
not knowing I was here" 1 coughed.
The young lady did not hear me. I spoke:
Madam" said ], u presume you are
not aware-in fact, that 1 am here"
Then the figure arose. It turned toward
me, but again could not see its face. Its
! back was to the moon. The outlines,
The white robe that looked like q shroud
trailed after it. The long hair foated
over it.
said to myself very calmly, @Were q
supersttious person should consider this
q ghost"
And still it came nearer, nearer. It was
very embarrassing.
aMadam." said again, more loudly, II
presume YOU are aware that I am here?"
And voice answered me-a voice l
seemed to have heard before:
sYes, am aware Of it. came because
knew it came because I knew It'll"
Then she began to moan again. She
stood beside the bed now, only few inches
from me. She stretched out her cold
hands. It was time to do something.
Whoever she was, saw that she was
dangerous. A maniac, perhaps. put my
hand under my pillow, where my pistol lay.
I seized it.
whoever you are, said I, II presume
you are q thief, playing at ghost. Leave
the room. I give three seconds to do it in.
count them; at the third count I fire.
One-two-three.".
OAs said one she retreated, pointing at
me. AS counted two she drew still fur
Their off. AS I cried three she was gone!
Lit that kerosene lamp and examined the
room. The door was shut and locked on
the inside; the windows fastened down with
nails, as all windows are in rural houses.
I looked behind the boxes and barrels and
gowns. felt the floor; there was no trap
door. Yet she was gone.
If I had been q supershtious idiot
should have said that I had seen spirit.
AS it was, being practical man, I at once
argued with myself. Tough fried ham
and something called "Injun puddin, !"
whatever it may have been, had given me
nightmare; nightmare in an unusual
white, instead of Othello or q black dog
There were exceptions to every rule. had
white nightmare in place of black one
that was all.
Again I put out my kerosene lamp.
Again I fitted myself between the corn
cobs. Again I slept. Again 1 woke, to
find fgure-the same figure bending
over me. 1t was moaning still; but this
cold as ice, were about my throat. pr
ing hard upon it. I was being eli -.
death.
"What are you doing?" cried 1, ca,
at my pistol again.
The cold hands dropped away. i.
figure retreated, vanished, as before.
made new search, and I argued with my
self again. Nightmares always choke me,
said 1. my white nightmare only did as
others do" But this time, though I fitted
myself in among the corn-cobs again, I
found it harder to sleep, and though slept
at last, awakened very soon-again with
hand at my throat, and q voice moaning
softly: "Let me rest in my grave. do
not want to kill him. Let me rest"
My pistol once more drove the white fig
ure away. But nightmare was more
serious thing than had imagined. Had
ever been fool enough to drink too much, I
should have fancied myself the victim of
delirium tremens. But q ghost! Bah! I
gave no admittance to that thought for
moment. If the voice, the figure, the fall
ing hair, the touch of the little hands, cold
as they were, reminded me Of some one I
had known long ago-that was part Of my
dlsordered condition. "Never again" said
I, "will partake of that awful dish, 'lnjun
puddin, with m'lasses. Never"
I sat up after that and saw the sun rise
for the first time in my existence. It was
chilly operation, as uncomfortable as most
things are that are considered meritorious;
cold baths and Graham diet, for instance.
I've never done it since. An awful horn
footed us down to breakfast, which was
principally fat pork. When came down
the good woman Of the house, already in
visible at the end of sun.bonnet, was
talking to Bradley, who is-did tell you?
newspapers. She had found him out.
"To think it should be you," she said.
"You don't look bit like I thought.
guessed you had big black eyes and an ele-
CANT fgger, but, lor, you can't help that
ano how did look out for the next number,
while 'Elgira, or Fortunes Victim, was be-
ing published. read it every word, and
when she died of love I cried. didn't
use to believe folks died Of love once
but-lemme see-I guess it was fifteen
years ago, knew case in actual life.
Yes. sir. You could have made story Of
it, no doubt, She died in this house, in
the north room-as pretty creature as ever
you saw. Her eyes were, oh! how brown,
and such lovely golden hair! Her father
brought her out here one summer"
Mrs. Regain says he, I'm afraid my
girl is in decline, but we hope something
from country air.
"Says I, well do what we can, and
mountain air is best of any, SIR
"But pretty soon saw that there was
more than sickness to deal with. The night
she died she told me. Yes, sir; it was
love affair. He had Tilted her because her
father lost his money. He'd failed, the
old gentleman had. Il loved him so
much said she. 4 thought him so brave
and true, and 30 fond Of me, and it was all
Q mockery-every look lie, every kiss an